Base, products containing the same, preparation methods and uses thereof

ABSTRACT

The present invention concerns a base characterized in that it is prepared by the following steps: (a) partial bio-hydrolysis of raw materials rich in precursors, and (b) thermal reaction steps of the resulting product from (a). Said base can be prepared with a further step, which is a subsequent or simultaneous fermentation of the resulting product from step (a).

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/202,017, filed on Nov. 1, 2011, which is aNational Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2009/051932, filedFeb. 18, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a novel natural base, products containing thesame, preparation methods and uses thereof. More particularly, itrelates to a natural flavour base with intrinsic authentic signatureflavour, which may be added as intermediate ingredient to recipes anddelivers simultaneously Top and Middle-notes (aroma and taste)contributing mainly to the overall flavour tonality and hapticimpressions of the final product, the culinary and confectionaryproducts containing the same, methods for the manufacture of said base(combination of fermentation and thermal reaction treatment), and use ofsuch culinary base for application in culinary, confectionary, cosmeticsand beverage products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the flavour of a product is mainly generated through singleingredients representing Middle-notes (non-volatiles, such asbody-givers, hydrolysates, yeast extracts, peptides, organic acids,phosphates, lipids, and so on) and Top-notes (volatiles, such ascharacter impact compounds, e.g. roasty chicken aroma).

Most food forms use Top-notes that are often purchased from flavourhouses to deliver authentic signature aromas and tonalities. However,using Top-notes results in several disadvantages as follows: Top-notesconsist mainly of volatiles and therefore lack taste, depth, and body.To complete taste, flavour, depth, and body of the product, differentitems are needed in formulation which creates handling complexity atproduction sites.

Additionally, the use of purchased Top-notes is also commerciallydisadvantageous in that it makes it difficult to differentiate productsfrom different producers.

There have not yet been natural bases which incorporate the combinationof Top-notes and Middle-notes generated through biotransformation andthermal processing steps.

Recent studies have focused on this issue.

JP 2005000157 provides a fermented seasoning by using onion as a mainraw material. This fermented seasoning is obtained by heat-treatingvegetables containing onion, then adding malted cereals, common salt,and yeast to the vegetables, and further fermenting and ageing thevegetables. This invention does not use any precursors than onions andis not involving any thermal treatment to create specific signatureflavors. This is quite like a process for the preparation of pickles orsour chili.

JP 2003259835 produces a plant material having an improved additionalvalue by fermenting the plant material with micro-organisms such aslactic bacteria and yeasts, and also produces a useful food, cosmetic orthe like from the product. This invention is as well fermentation withmicro-organisms to provide longer shelf life stability and releaseingredients from the plant cells, which can be used in skin care orfood, but no signature flavour is produced.

The process of EP 0490794 includes separation of micro-organisms/harmfulsubstances from fermentation reactions, and produces salty and/orgrilled and/or roasted flavours. The method of the invention has noseparation step, because the whole fermented paste is edible and can beconsumed as such.

It would be advantageous to have a new base generating Middle-notes withTop-notes in one single ingredient. This base reduces the need to addsingle ingredients to the recipes, and make the producing processoperable.

In addition, this base retains naturally authentic signature flavoursincreasing the independence from flavour houses, the brand recognitionthrough more elaborated flavour tonality and differentiation of productsfrom different suppliers. The new base opens the possibility tocommunicate naturalness and nutritional aspects to customers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a spider web diagram depicting mid notes and top notes.

FIG. 2 is a spider web diagram depicting mid notes and top notes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a new base, which generates Middle-notes andTop-notes in one single ingredient, i.e., a base with Middle andTop-notes giving signature flavour. This new base will simultaneouslyadd aroma and taste to the final products, and is produced from rawmaterials using the combination of biotransformation processes and post-and/or pre-thermal treatment of raw materials.

Thus, more particularly, this invention relates to a novel natural basewith intrinsic authentic signature flavour. This culinary base is abody-giver delivering distinctive savoury aroma, for example via Maggilactones and/or sulphuric molecules and complex taste via for exampleamino acids, sugars, Maillard products, organic acids. It is producedthrough the combination of biotransformation processes and thermaltreatment of natural raw materials, for example fenugreek, beans,lovage, celery, proteinaceous material from animal sources, which arerich in flavour precursors (e.g., sugars, Hydroxy-iso-leucine (HIL),Threonine, polypeptides etc.).

The objective of the invention is to have precursors available frombio-hydrolysis and/or fermentation (e.g., Hydroxy-iso-leucine (HIL),Threonine, etc.), amino acids and reducing sugars and to make them reacttogether in a heating process, which is a thermal conversion stepsimultaneous with a Maillard reaction for aroma and taste generation.

In one embodiment, the base of the invention is prepared by thefollowing steps:

(a) partial bio-hydrolysis of raw materials rich in precursors, and

(b) thermal reaction steps of the resulting product from (a).

FIG. 1 is the characteristic spider web of the invention depicting thegeneration of Mid notes (F=Flavour) and Top notes (A=Aroma) for theinventive products:

The partial bio-hydrolysis (use enzyme and/or starter cultures) step of(a) can lyse the organic cells of the raw material and releaseprecursors, amino acids, proteins, glycoproteins, etc. therein increasesthe yield of taste and aroma delivering molecules;

The enzyme used in this includes, but are not limited to all hydrolases,preferably lipase, protease, amylase, cellulase, most preferablyprotease and cellulase.

According to another feature of the invention, the base is prepared witha further step, which is a subsequent or simultaneous fermentation withstarter cultures of the resulting product of step (a).

The raw materials rich in precursors used in this step include, but arenot limited to any suitable material for culinary, confectionary,beverages, cosmetics, preferably the ones with precursors of Maggisignature flavour, such as traditional Asian ingredient, plantsbelonging to Allium family, most preferably fenugreek, beans, purpleonion, lovage, celery, wheat gluten, yeast extract and Ligusticumchuanxiong.

If the raw material used for the base preparation does not containenough sugar for the subsequent Maillard reaction, it is necessary toadd at the beginning of the process a certain amount of sugar. Saidsugar in not critical in the process and can be any type of sugar knownby the man skilled in the art.

In the base of the invention, the precursors for Maillard reaction arethose, including amino acids, reducing sugars, and for specialtonalities, including Hydroxy-iso-leucine (HIL) for Sotolone and sulphurcontaining substances for chicken flavour. For example, the precursorsare Methionine and Glutathione (sulfur containing compounds) orHydroxy-iso-leucine.

The raw material of step (a) is selected from the group consisting ofnatural materials rich in amino acids, reducing sugars, precursors ofsotolone, precursors of emoxyfurone and fatty acids. For example, theraw material of step (a) is selected from the group consisting of rawmaterials with high amounts of natural precursors, like precursors ofsotolone and emoxyfurone. Fenugreek is such a raw material. The presenceof fatty acids is for taste reasons and it is preferred to take naturalfatty acids.

The starter microorganism(s) used in this fermentation step transformingplant precursors into natural mouth-coating, body-giving, volatile andnon-volatile flavour compounds (e.g., organic acids, lipids, peptides,amino acids, esters), and thus produce multi-directional flavour bases;include, but are not limited to mould (e.g. Aspergillus ssp.), yeast(e.g. Saccharomyces ssp., Torula ssp.), bacterium (e.g. lactic acidbacteria, Staphylococcus ssp. and Pediococcus ssp.) and the mixturethereof, preferably Aspergillus oryzae, Saccharomyces uvarum, Yarrowialipolytica, Lactococcus casei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactococcuslactis, and Staphylococcus carnosus and Pediococcus acidilactici, mostpreferably Staphylococcus carnosus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus,Saccharomyces uvarum and Pediococcus acidilactici.

The thermal treatment of step (b) includes sterilization and/orpasteurization, and transforms precursors (for example HIL and aminoacids with reducing sugars to Sotolone and Strecker/Maillard products)and inactivates microbial starter and enzymes to reinforce and generatemid-note characters and control the extend of biotransfomations andfixes the status of the product regarding stability and shelf life;

The base is prepared in step (b) at a temperature range from 45 to131.degree. C., preferably 60 to 125.degree. C., most preferably 90 to121.degree. C.

The pH value employs in the methods of the invention ranges from 2.5 to8.5, preferably 3 to 7 most preferably 3.2 to 6.8

The time of heating of the methods of the invention ranges from 2 min to280 min, preferably 5 min to 120 min, most preferably 10 min to 30 min.

In another embodiment, the base of the invention is prepared bymicrobial fermentation and thermal treatment of raw materials rich inprecursors simultaneously.

In another embodiment, the base of the invention is prepared in sequenceby the following steps:

(1) partial bio-hydrolysis of raw materials rich in precursors,

(2) microbial fermentation and thermal treatment of the resultingproduct from (1) at the same time.

In another embodiment, the base of the invention is prepared in sequenceby the following steps:

(1) partial bio-hydrolysis of raw materials rich in precursors,

(2) microbial fermentation of the resulting product from (1), and

(3) thermal treatment of the resulting product from (2).

According to one embodiment the base is prepared by the following steps:

(a) partial bio-hydrolysis of fenugreek at a temperature comprisedbetween 20 and 60.degree. C. for between 2 and 72 hours,

(a1) subsequent microbial fermentation of the resulting product from(1), wherein the used microorganism is 10.sup.8 cfu/ml Lactococcuslactis at 30.degree. C. for 2 days, and

(b) heating the resulting product from (a1) at 90.degree. C. for 5 min.

The producing process of the inventive base may also includes othersteps than those mentioned herein, such as drying, adding water, andblending (preferably until forming gel) the raw material before andafter partial bio-hydrolysis and/or microbial fermentation, thermalreaction before or after microbial fermentation, storing the resultingproduct from thermal reaction at 4.degree. C. before application, etc. Adehydrated base needs additional salt (up to 15-40% w/w) before vacuumdrying.

Further down stream steps can be frying, sauteing, pressure cooking,boiling. For dehydration of the base addition of salt (2-40% w/w) beforevacuum and/or spray drying is needed.

Therefore, the base of the invention has flexibility and efficiency inuse (one ingredient with low sodium content) as well as built-in safetythrough natural preservatives (Allium, lactic acetate, acetic acetate,bacteriocines, etc.) and low pH (lactic and acetic acid fermentation),and has lingering and texturising effects derived from natural gums(either from polysaccharides from starter culture or compound of rawmaterials).

The invention further relates to the preparing process of the base ofthe invention with following steps:

(a) partial bio-hydrolysis of raw material rich in precursors,

(b) thermal reaction steps of the resulting product from (a).

As already said before, it is also possible to add a fermentation stepsubsequent or simultaneously with the bio-hydrolysis.

The invention also relates to the culinary and confectionary productscontaining the base of the invention. Preferably, said product containsbetween 1 and 95% of the base. Preferably, the amount of the base iscomprised between 5 and 80%.

In another aspect, the invention relates to the use of the base of theinvention for application in confectionary (candy, jam, chocolate,etc.), culinary products, beverages and cosmetics as an ingredient tohave special flavour (taste and aroma) or providing special pastytexture.

In addition, some starter micro-organisms (e.g., lactic acid bacteria)can generate potent natural antimicrobials (bacteriocines) that addintrinsic safety to the product and thereby can contribute tocommunication on naturalness and ease process handling. Optionally, themethod of the invention further comprises: blending of base, Middle-,and Top-notes and/or a heating step for further Maillard reactions.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, thesingular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires.In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specificationis to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity,unless the context requires otherwise.

Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties orgroups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment orexample of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to anyother aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatibletherewith.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words“comprise” and “contain” and variations of the words, for example“comprising” and “comprises”, mean “including but not limited to”, andare not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives,components, integers or steps.

In this specification, the following terms have the following meanings

The term “Top-note(s)” as used herein means everything you can smell,and includes aroma delivering volatiles, smell characteristics, retronasal detectable compounds, but is not limited to Sotolone(3-Hydroxy-4,5-dimethylfuran-2(5H)-on).

The term “Middle-note (s)” as used herein means everything which has atonality and direction already in taste, and includes, the taste ofhydrolysates and biohydrolysates, yeast extracts, chicken meat powder,beef powder, pork powder, hydrolysed pork bones, chicken, beef, pork,brothy, roasty, worty and is not limited to Maggi signature (lovage)taste.

The term “natural base” as used herein means products created fromnatural raw materials without introducing any artificial generatedmaterials during processing steps. The processing steps include, but arenot limited to fermentation, hydrolysing, heating steps.

The term “Maggi base” as used herein includes flavouring bases inliquid, dried, and pasty form made from ingredients, comparable the onesused in kitchen but is not limited to a natural culinary base withauthentic Maggi signature flavour. It will be added as an intermediateproduct to recipes. At the moment, Top-notes deliver the Maggi signaturearoma for Maggi products.

The term “sugars” as used herein includes sucrose, glucose, fructose,maltose, iso-maltose, xylose, lactose, trehalose and mono-disaccharides,which are fermented during application of specific starter cultureand/or reacted through Maillard and Strecker reaction.

All references to percentages are percentages by weight unless otherwisestated.

Further aspects and embodiments of the disclosure are set forth in thefollowing description and claims.

Example 1

Mill fresh fenugreek (LF) and onion and sun dry it for 5 days. Add waterinto the mixture of LF powder (5%), fresh purple onion (50%) and sucrose(10%) to obtain a dry matter content of 8%. Pasteurize the mixture at90.degree. C. for 30 min. 1% of starter culture (Lactococcus lactis:10.sup.8 cfu/ml) is added into the mixture above which is then fermentedat 30.degree. C. for 2 days. The pH will drop below 4.5. Afterfermentation, the mixture is heated at 90.degree. C. for 5 min.

Example 2

Simmer fresh milled spring onion fenugreek with water for 2 h, sucrose(60%) is then added to obtain a dry matter content of 40%. 5% of starterculture (Lactobacillus delbrueckii+Saccharomyces cerevisiae: 10.sup.8cfu/ml and 10.sup.6 cfu/ml, respectively) is added into the mixtureabove which is then fermented at 30.degree. C. for 2 days. The pH willdrop below 4.0 afterwards. After fermentation, the mixture is heated at75.degree. C. for 5 min, and added into commodities as an ingredient tohave special flavor (taste and aroma).

Example 3

Add water into the mixture of fresh milled Ligusticum chuanxiong andfenugreek (15% w/w), sucrose (60%) to obtain a dry matter content of10%. 0.5% of Lipase is then added into the mixture. Hydrolyze themixture at 60.degree. C. for 6 h and inactive enzyme at 90.degree. C.for 15 min afterwards. Later on, 1% of starter culture (i.e.,Staphylococcus carnosus: 10.sup.8 cfu/ml) is added into the mixtureabove which is then fermented at 30.degree. C. for 2 days. The pH dropsbelow 4.0. After fermentation, the mixture is heated at 90.degree. C.for 5 min.

Example 4

Add water into the mixture of fenugreek extract (15% w/w), fresh purpleonion (50%) and the sugar mixture which includes sucrose (2% w/w),maltose (1.5% w/w), fructose (2% w/w), oligomaltose (2% w/w), lactose(2% w/w), glucose (2% w/w). 0.5% of hydrolases are then added to themixture. Hydrolyze the mixture at 60.degree. C. for 6 h and inactiveenzyme at 90.degree. C. for 15 min afterwards. Later add 1% of starterculture (Lactococcus ssp.+Saccharomyces uvarum: 10.sup.8 cfu/ml) isadded into the mixture above which is then fermented at 30.degree. C.for 2.5 days. The pH drops below 4.0 afterwards. After fermentation, themixture is heated at 90.degree. C. for 10 min.

Example 5

Add water into the mixture of plant material high in Emoxyfurone andprecursor of fenugreek extract and Ligusticum chuanxiong powder; addsucrose to obtain a dry matter content of 20%. Cook at 90.degree. C. for30 min. Add 0.5% of Amylase, 0.5% of cellulase and 1% of starter culture(e.g. Bifidobacterium adolescentis: 10.sup.8 cfu/ml). Ferment themixture above and hydrolyze at the same time at 30.degree. C. for 2days. The pH drops below 4.0. After fermentation and hydrolysis, themixture is heated at 90.degree. C. for 10 min.

Example 6

Simmer fresh milled cocoa beans with water for 2 h, sugars (60%) isadded to obtain a dry matter content of 40%. 5% of starter culture(Lactobacillus delbrueckii+Saccharomyces cerevisiae+Lactobacillusamylovorans and Saccharomyces diastaticus and Lactobacillussanfranciscensis), where 10.sup.8 cfu/ml for the lactic acid fermentersand 10.sup.6 cfu/ml for the yeast is added into the mixture above whichis then fermented at 30.degree. C. for 2 days. The pH will drop below4.0 afterwards. After fermentation, the mixture will be heated at75.degree. C. for 5 min and 90.degree. C. for 5 min and added intocommodities as an ingredient to have special flavor (taste and aroma).

Example 7

Simmer fresh milled rice malt and black beans with water for 2 h, sugars(60%) is added to obtain a dry matter content of 40%. 5% of starterculture (Lactobacillus plantarum+Lactobacillus amylovorans: 10.sup.8cfu/ml for the lactic acid fermenters) is added into the mixture. Add0.5% of Protease and 0.5% of Cellulase. Ferment above then 30.degree. C.for 2 days. The pH will drop below 4.0 afterwards. After fermentation,the mixture will be heated at 75.degree. C. for 5 min and 90.degree. C.for 5 min and added into commodities as an ingredient to have specialflavor (taste and aroma).

Example 8

Simmer fenugreek powder, Ligusticum chuanxiong and black beans withwater for 50 h, sugars (40%) is added to obtain a dry matter content of40%. 5% of starter culture (Lactobacillus rhamnosus+Aspergillus oryzae:10.sup.8 cfu/ml) is added into the mixture. Add 0.5% of Cellulase.Ferment above then 30.degree. C. for 2 days. The pH will drop below 4.0afterwards. After fermentation, the mixture will be heated at 75.degree.C. for 5 min and 90.degree. C. for 5 min and then salt (max. 15%) willbe added into mixture to get granules. FIG. 2.

The invention is claimed as follows:
 1. A flavor base for flavoringfood, prepared by the following steps: (a) partial bio-hydrolysis of araw material selected from the group consisting of fenugreek, cocoabeans, black beans, lovage and Ligusticum chuanxiong, and (b) thermalreaction steps of the resulting product from (a).
 2. The base of claim1, wherein it is prepared with a further step, which is a subsequent orsimultaneous fermentation of the resulting product from step (a).
 3. Thebase of claim 2, wherein a microorganism used for the fermentation isselected from the group consisting of Aspergillus ssp., Pediococcusssp., Lactobacillaceae, Yarrowia ssp., Saccharomyces ssp., andcombinations thereof.
 4. The base of claim 3, wherein the microorganismused for the fermentation is Lactobacillaceae and Saccharomycesor Torulassp.
 5. The base of claim 1, wherein the raw materials compriseprecursors that are those for Maillard reaction and for specialtonalities.
 6. The base of claim 1, wherein the raw materials compriseprecursors selected from the group consisting of Methionine,Glutathione, and combinations thereof.
 7. The base of claim 6, whereinthe precursor is Hydroxy-iso-leucine.
 8. The base of claim 1, whereinthe raw material of step (1) is selected from the group consisting ofnatural materials rich in amino acids, reducing sugars, precursors ofsotolone, precursors of emoxyfurone, fatty acids, and combinationsthereof.
 9. The base of claim 8, wherein the raw material of step (1) isselected from the group consisting of materials rich in precursors ofsotolone, materials rich in emoxyfurone, and combinations thereof. 10.The base of claim 1, wherein the temperature used in step (b) is from 45to 131 degree C.
 11. The base of claim 1, wherein the thermal reactionstep of step (b) is selected from the group consisting of sterilization,pasteurization, and combinations thereof.
 12. A process of preparing abase comprising the following steps: (a) partial bio-hydrolysis of rawmaterials rich in precursors, (b) thermal reaction steps of theresulting product from (a).
 13. A culinary or confectionary productcontaining the base of claim 1 in an amount comprised between 1 and 95%.14. The product of claim 13, wherein the raw materials of the basecomprise precursors that are those for Maillard reaction and for specialtonalities.
 15. The product of claim 13, wherein the raw materials ofthe base comprise precursors selected from the group consisting ofMethionine, Glutathione, and combinations thereof.
 16. The product ofclaim 15, wherein the precursor is Hydroxy-iso-leucine.
 17. The productof claim 13, wherein the raw material of step (1) is selected from thegroup consisting of natural materials rich in amino acids, reducingsugars, precursors of sotolone, precursors of emoxyfurone, fatty acids,and combinations thereof.
 18. The product of claim 17, wherein the rawmaterial of step (1) is selected from the group consisting of materialrich in precursors of sotolone, material rich in emoxyfurone, andcombinations thereof.
 19. The product of claim 13, wherein the base isprepared with a further step, which is a subsequent or simultaneousfermentation of the resulting product from step (a).
 20. The product ofclaim 19, wherein a microorganism used for the fermentation isLactobacillaceae and Saccharomycesor Torula ssp.